The invention relates to an apparatus which serves to control the ratio of air to fuel quantity of the operational mixture to be introduced into the combustion chambers of an internal combustion engine. In a known apparatus of this kind, the quantity adjustment member of a fuel injection pump is actuated in accordance with the correction signal. Acting as a guide value for the control apparatus is an adjustable stop which limits the deflection of a baffle plate within a portion of an intake manifold which narrows opposite the flow direction in the manner of a funnel. The baffle plate, which is adjustable in this intake manifold portion by means of differential pressure, serves in combination with a constant restoring force as an air flow rate meter by means of which a fuel metering cross section is adjusted in accordance with the aspirated air quantity. The comparison of a set-point fuel quantity, corresponding to this fuel metering cross section, with the actual fuel quantity adjusted at the fuel injection pump by means of the quantity adjusting device takes place by hydraulic means, with the position of the quantity adjusting device being corrected in accordance with the result of comparison. Downstream from the baffle plate there is a throttle valve in the intake manifold which is adjustable by the pressure prevailing between the throttle valve and the baffle plate on the one side and the pressure prevailing upstream of the baffle plate on the other side, counter to the force of the restoring spring. When the throttle valve is opened, the entry of an exhaust recirculation line is kept closed by the valve with its portion located downstream of the throttle valve shaft. The prior art apparatus has the disadvantage that in order to adjust the load an intervention must be made at the air flow rate meter, and this intervention must be performed counter to the forces, which are not insignificant, acting on the baffle plate, especially in the case of reducing the load. Furthermore, a correction intervention is made on the fuel side where small errors have a very great effect on the resulting composition of the exhaust.